INAUGURATION BREAKFAST IN EL CAJON
Printer-friendly versionJanuary 12, 2008 (El Cajon) — The public is invited to celebrate Obama’s inauguration at the Hacienda Restaurant in El Cajon on Tuesday, Jan 20th, at 8 a.m. (main event at 9 a.m.) Organized by the East County Democratic Club. Open to the public. No cover, no-host; breakfast costs are each individual’s responsibility. The restaurant is located at 700 N. Johnson, El Cajon, CA 92020 (enter from Arnele, phone 619-442-9827.) RSVP: 619-933-1526 or kdm6@cox.net. More info at www.ecdcweb.org. Printer-friendly version
2 BILLS TO STOP PAY DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN PASS HOUSE; DAVIS & FILNER VOTE “YES”; BILBRAY, HUNTER & ISSA VOTE “NO”
Printer-friendly version January 11, 2009 (San Diego) — Two landmark bills aimed at helping women employees achieve equal pay for equal work and obtain judgments against employers who violate the law have passed the House of Representatives and will now go to the Senate. San Diego County’s Congressional delegation split down party lines, with Democrats Susan Davis and Bob Filner voting yes, while Republicans Brian Bilbray, Duncan D. Hunter and Darrell Issa voted no on both bills. The bills were introduced in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against Lilly Ledbetter (see photo), who worked nearly 20 years at a Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company plant in Alabama. Ledbetter filed a lawsuit claiming discrimination immediately after she found out that she was the lowest paid supervisor at the plant, even though she had more experience than her male colleagues. A jury ruled in favor of Ledbetter. But the Supreme Court decided that the time limit for her claim had expired, since the first discrimination occurred almost 20 years before Ledbetter found out about the pay disparity. The Supreme Court limited any legal action to 180 days after the first incident of discrimination. But since many employers prohibit employees from discussing their pay with other workers, the high court ruling makes it difficult for a new employee to discover gender discrimination in time to take action and enforce the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which requires equal pay for equal work. H.R. 11, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, seeks to restore the law altered by the high court’s ruling. The measure would require that each paycheck resulting from a discriminatory pay decision would count as a new violation and reset the 180-day clock. H.R. 12, the Paycheck Fairness Act, seeks to assure that employers comply with the Equal Pay Act. Today, women earn only 78 cents for every dollar earned by a man doing the same job. African-American and Hispanic women earn even less–just 66 and 55 cents respectively compared to men. H.R. closes loophopes so that an employer could not refute a pay discrimination claim by claiming factors unrelated to the job; employers would have to prove a valid business reason for any pay differential. H.R. 12 would also prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who discuss their pay–eliminating policies that silence workers and allow employers to hide discriminatory pay practices. The bill would also allow women to sue for punitive damages in addition to compensatory (actual) damages, just as workers and businesses can already do for discrimination based on race or national origin. H.R. 11 passed the House by a 256 to 163 margin, with 246 Democrats voting yes but only 10 Republican yes votes. H.R. 12 was passed by a 247 to 171 margin, with 244 Democrats voting yes and only 3 Republicans voting in favor of the bill. President Bush threatened to veto this legislation, but President-Elect Barack Obama has pledged to sign it after he is sworn in on January 20th, if it is passed by the Senate. To contact your Congressional members or Senators, visit East County Magazine’s Citizens Action Center at www.eastcountymagazine.org/?q=0809soundoff . To learn more about these bills, visit www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-12 and www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-11. Those sites include summaries and full text of bills, current status, inks to floor speeches and related legislation Many major newspapers have run editorials calling for passage of the bills: www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-ledbetter10-2009jan10,0,5430447.story The New York Times observed: “The impact of the Ledbetter decision has been broad injustice. As Robert Pear reported in The Times on Monday, courts around the country have cited the decision hundreds of times as a reason for rejecting lawsuits claiming discrimination based on race, sex, age and disability, without regard to the underlying merits of the individual cases.” www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/opinion/07wed2.html?_r=1 Business interests have opposed the measures, arguing that they will increase litigation and liability by employers, and may result in claims being filed years after a discriminatory act: www.uschamber.com/issues/letters/2009/090107paycheckfairness.htm www.uschamber.com/issues/letters/2009/090107_ledbetter.htm “Higher labor costs will result from a pair of bills designed to create new lawsuit possibilities in cases of alleged wage discrimination,” the Wall Street Journal projected: online.wsj.com/article/SB123146294351966567.html Labor and women’s groups, including the National Organization for Women, support the measures. “It’s a one-two punch for women, that could knock out many pay inequities,” said NOW President Kim Gandy: www.capwiz.com/now/issues/alert/?alertid=12389556 Printer-friendly version
EAST COUNTY DEMOCRATS ELECT NEW EXECUTIVE-BOARD REPRSENTATIVE AND DELEGATES
Printer-friendly versionDemocrats in East County’s 77th Assembly district elected a pro-labor/progressive slate of 12 delegates on Saturday, January 10th at the El Cajon Library. Ninety-one local Democratic voters registered to cast ballots in the election, in which a record 23 people ran for twelve delegate positions. Delegates represent the region at the California Democratic convention for the next two years, casting votes on candidate endorsements, party platform changes and more. Delegates elected are Cynthia Balvanz, Marge Carlson, Sherry Cohen-Richards, Judy McEntire, Karen Marie Otter, Dorene Perry, Nico Ferraro, Pat Hurley, Mickey Kasperian, Barnard McEntire, Ryan Mims, and Daniel Ortiz. “It was gratifying and exciting to see such a tremendous turnout at Sunday’s delegate election,” said Leon Thompson, outgoing Executive Board representative and convener of the meeting. In past years, he noted, it had sometimes been difficult to find 12 people willing to serve as delegates to the California Democratic Party from East County, a traditional Republican stronghold. “Involvement has been steadily growing and today we have not only twelve representatives to the State Party but seasoned veterans with a mix of eager newcomers,” Thompson noted. “Our contingent will be led by Dan Ortiz who is easily the best political strategist in East County and who is profoundly aware of our needs and how to fill them.” Daniel Ortiz (photo, above) won election unanimously as new Executive Board representative, running unopposed. Currently a worksite organizer for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 221, which represents probation workers, Ortiz is former vice president of United Auto Workers Union local 4123, which organized teaching assistants, graduate assistants, tutors and graders at California State University campuses. “As a delegate Dan helped move forward the All District Funding Resolution that caused such a stir in the State,” Thompson said. Ortiz also participated on an Ad Hoc committee meeting with CDP Chairman Art Torres to resolve pleas from "red" districts seeking resources for candidates. The State party pledged to provide more funding and resources if local party leaders created a regional plan, worked at year-round precinct organizing and voter registration. In recognition of his efforts and expertise, Ortiz was also appointed by the CDP to the Platform Committee and served as chair of the Energy and the Environment plank, and also on the immigration plank.. “The job won’t be easy,” Thompson concluded. “They say that organizing Democrats is like herding cats. But we are starting out with a terrific bunch of cats and an exceptional shepherd. I am confident that the next two years will usher in a new era of Democratic progress.” Printer-friendly version